By Laura Kate Zaichkin, Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, Wash.
Jul. 15–The scar in the shape of a plus sign that stretches in both directions across Lonnie Cook’s abdomen isn’t just a souvenir from a complicated surgery he had in Miami last month.
It’s a sign of victory after his frustrating battle with his health insurance company, as well as a renewed hope that he can beat his rare cancer.
The 44-year-old Richland man has gone through 10 rounds of chemotherapy in the last year to treat his Leiomyosarcoma, which affects one in 4 million people.
He was ready to give up the treatment that was slowing the progression of his terminal cancer when he and his wife, Lori, learned of a surgery done twice before that has stopped his form of cancer.
But his insurance company refused three times to pay for the nearly $1 million surgery. In fact, the company refused to cover the procedure up until just days before his June 27 surgery at Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital.
“You definitely have to be your own advocate,” Lori Cook said. “You can’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
But their victory was short lived.
The surgery was supposed to completely remove the tumor lodged deep in Lonnie’s abdomen.
“We both were convinced that we would leave Miami and be cancer free,” Lori Cook said.
But once inside Lonnie’s abdomen the three surgeons realized the tumor was connected to too many organs to be removed safely. He would need a liver, pancreas, stomach and intestine transplant if it was taken out.
However, the Cooks are hopeful. Since the surgeons were able to pinpoint certain parts of the tumor, radiation should be a more effective treatment option.
“Now with it marked they can get to it,” Lori said. “The doctor told Lonnie, ‘At this point, I think the transplant is a worst-case scenario.’ He said, ‘Radiation’s going to be your best bet at this point.’ If it doesn’t shrink it will at least keep it from growing.”
The Cooks say this new treatment option gives them hope that Lonnie can beat his cancer. And Lonnie said he’s glad treatment no longer is limited to chemotherapy.
“It’ll be a lot less painful,” he said.
The family is waiting to hear from doctors about when he can begin radiation.
w Laura Kate Zaichkin: 582-1521; lzaichkin@tricity herald.com
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